A Diode-Laser-Pumped, Nd:YAG Laser for Gravity Wave Astronomy

用光学干涉法探测重力波需要一种高效率、高功率、低幅度和低频率噪声的激光器。拜尔教授的团队将设计、建造和研究一种13瓦的单轴模二极管激光泵浦的Nd：YAG激光器，该激光器具有激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)所需的功率、频率和幅度稳定性以及空间模式特性。这种激光器的设计将有可能以20%的电效率运行，并可扩展到大于100瓦的光功率。他们将通过用低功率(50 MW)稳定的非平面环形振荡器(NPRO)注入锁定13瓦振荡器来获得稳定的、单轴模式的单向振荡。然后，13瓦激光的输出将在单片谐振谐振器中进行倍频，转换效率超过80%，以产生与注入的NPRO激光器相同的时间相干性的10瓦绿光。然后，与LIGO项目相关的科学小组合作，将13瓦激光应用于干涉测量研究。

Gravity wave detection by optical interferometry requires an efficient, high power laser with low amplitude and frequency noise. Prof. Byer's group will design, build, and study a 13- watt, single-axial-mode, diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser, with the power, frequency and amplitude stability and spatial mode properties necessary for the laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (LIGO). This laser will be designed with the potential to operate at 20% electrical efficiency and to scale to greater than 100 watts of optical power. They will obtain stable, single-axial-mode, unidirectional oscillation by injection locking the 13-watt oscillator with a low power (50 mW) stabilized, nonplanar ring oscillator (NPRO). The output of the 13-watt laser will then be frequency doubled with greater than 80% conversion efficiency in a monolithic resonant harmonic generator to produce 10 watts of green light with the same temporal coherence as the injecting NPRO laser. The 13- watt laser will then be applied to interferometric studies in cooperation with the scientific teams associated with the LIGO project.